E20 Row: Supreme Court Refuses PIL on Mandatory Ethanol Labelling at Petrol Pumps

India

oi-Prakash KL

Updated: Monday, August 31, 2026, 14:22 [IST]

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a petition seeking mandatory labelling of ethanol content on petrol pump dispensing nozzles, directing the petitioner to approach the appropriate executive authority instead.

A bench comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and P.B. Varale questioned advocate Narendra Kumar Goswami on why he had approached the apex court directly without moving a High Court first, according to a report in Bar and Bench.

“See the receipt, there is no mention of ethanol. I have the right to know,” Goswami told the apex court. He noted that the Attorney General had earlier called the ethanol-blending program an “experiment” and sought an assurance from the Centre on the issue.

Goswami argued that vehicle owners have a fundamental “right to know” what fuel they are purchasing, drawing a parallel to everyday consumer goods. “Even when we buy a packet of biscuits we know the ingredients,” he told the court, clarifying that he was not challenging the government’s ethanol blending policy, but merely asking for clear disclosure at the pump.

Appearing for the Centre, Attorney General R. Venkataramani opposed the plea, noting that the top court had already dismissed earlier petition on the ethanol policy.

E20 fuel, a blend of 20% ethanol and 80% petrol, intended to reduce crude oil imports and carbon emissions. While automakers began manufacturing E20-compliant vehicles in 2023, lakhs of older vehicles on Indian roads face severe risks of fuel system corrosion, component degradation, and reduced mileage.

Frustrated citizens targeted Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari for rolling out high-ethanol blends without offering unblended fuel options.

Meanwhile, a Raipur consumer forum ordered Maruti Suzuki to replace a customer’s Grand Vitara after E20 fuel allegedly caused the engine to break down in Chhattisgarh.